ES2201250T3 - APPARATUS THAT DISPENSES A CONTROLLABLE PATTERN. - Google Patents

Abstract

THE VENDOR IS DESIGNED TO DISTRIBUTE SEALANTS AND ADHESIVES ON A WORK PIECE IN A ROBOTIC OR MANUAL APPLICATION. THE EXPENDER CONSISTS OF A MOTOR (18), A TRANSVERSAL AXLE (16) AND A ROTATING AXLE (24). THE ROTATING AXLE (24) IS HOLLOW AND HAS AN OPENING (24A) DECENTRATED AT THE END OF THIS THAT PROLONGS AN EXTREME OF THE CROSS-AXLE (16). ROTATING THE ROTATING AXLE (24) THE END OF THE CROSS-AXLE (16) RECEIVES AN ORBITAL MOVEMENT THAT CAN APPLY A SWIRL PATTERN ON THE WORK PIECE.

Description

Apparatus that dispenses a controllable pattern.

Devices have been used to apply adhesives to work pieces such as vehicle bodies during  several years. These devices range from simple nozzles that they supply the drip material in a line according to the movement from a robot, to mill type applicators, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,911,173, 4,031,854 and 4,098,632. Further, an attempt has been made to provide a mill type pattern in U.S. patents Nos. 4,659,018 and 5,322,564.

The document EP-A-0203830 reveals a dispenser robot-mounted orbital that has the specifications  of the pre-characterization part of the Claim 1 included here.

Although such devices are effective in certain applications, usually lack the necessary versatility to perform a wide range of operations using the same applicator

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Therefore, the aim of this invention is to provide a single application device that is capable of supplying materials with a wide range of viscosities in mill and type patterns.

 \ hbox {jet, and} 

that provides precise control of drip characteristics of the applied material.

It is also the object of this invention to provide a dispenser capable of being used with most valves supply of manual and automatic sealant and adhesive and their associated equipment, and that can be used for applications such as PVC, flange with hem, liquid mask, body shop and traveling workshop applications.

The preferred apparatus consists of eight components main. The first component is a bellows, dust cap or other cover that is used to protect the end of the device and prevent adhesive materials and other particles potentially harmful enter the device. Secondly, bearings are provided so that parts can rotate between yes. In the preferred embodiment, ball bearings or spherical; however, it is understood that another could be used type of bearings, such as polymers to allow the rotation of The pieces together.

A motor is used to supply power from rotation, and in the preferred embodiment the rotation speeds They can reach 32,000 rpm. Optionally, on the back of the motor there is a rotary encoder that is used to Determine the angular position of the motor shaft or shaft. The axis of the motor is in turn attached to a rotating shaft that has in its end an eccentric opening, so that the diameter of the corresponding orbit is approximately 1/16 '' in the embodiment preferred. Of course, larger orbits could be used or minor as desired and such modifications are simple in the scope of a person with experience in the field.

Extending through the center of the shaft rotating and separated by an annular space thereof, there is an axis or thru-axle, which in the preferred embodiment is formed by a solid stainless steel tube that flexes and supports pressures of retention greater than 3,500 psi (including a safety factor considerable). This stainless steel tube allows the shaft intern flexes and transports the material to be supplied until the tip, which can be from a single single opening to different types of openings with varied shapes located in the end of the passing shaft that crosses. Alternatively, it could use a hose with a steel cover for a thru axle braided.

Thus, an apparatus (and a tip) can be used to provide several separate application patterns, exclusive and desirable (jet and whirlpool) and also allows a reduced maintenance compared to existing systems. It is believed that the invention also allows a faster application of robotic materials and applications and exact control of supply pattern. It also allows independent control of jet and drip patterns, said control being more difficult in the known prior art.

The material drip pattern can be controlled  precisely varying the following factors: distance from separation of the apparatus from the substrate, material pressure, speed of the motor, displacement of the rotating shaft bore, tip of the nozzle and feed rate (the speed at which the applicator moves relative to the substrate). By changing these factors, the drip width can be varied from less than one inch to several inches. You can also vary the height of the drip in the desired range and additionally it can be opened or close the drip pattern (the substrate is completely covered or not along the place where the material has been deposited).

It is further understood that there may be a mixer static inside the through shaft, mixer which in turn connects to an entrance to work with materials with several components. Said apparatus allows the application of materials multi-components, while having the great flexibility in relation to the indicated applications previously for the basic material apparatus with only one component.

These and other advantages and objects of the invention they will appear in more detail in the following description made together with the attached drawings, in which characters of equal references correspond to the same pieces or pieces Similar in the various views.

Thus, they will now be described in detail. embodiments of the invention, by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view partial showing an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention current.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of an embodiment  Alternative of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is another alternative of realization of present invention

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of  present invention, suitable for the application of various materials components.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view that show the apparatus with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

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A general embodiment is shown in Fig. 1 and is designated 10. The dispenser 10 consists of an upper housing 12 having a threaded inlet 14 in which, at its other end, a shaft or through shaft 16 having a connection is threaded. of type NPT 16a at the top and that is threaded in the housing

 \ hbox {top 12.} 

Connected to the bottom of the upper housing 12 there is a motor 18 which, in the preferred embodiment, has a motor from C.C. Brushless designed to operate at speeds of Up to 32,000 RPM The motor 18 has a central opening 18a a through which the through axle 16 is extended. The housing bottom 22 is connected to the bottom of the motor 18 by fixers 20.

Mounted inside the lower case 22 there is a rotating shaft or shaft 24 connected at the end of the bottom of the rotating part of the motor 18 and which rotates in solidarity. The axis swivel 24 is mounted on the lower housing 22 by bearings 26 which can be ball bearings, bearings spherical or any other known type of bearings. The axis swivel 24 has a displaced opening 24a at its end lower. The displacement is such that the total diameter of the Orbit in the preferred embodiment is 1/16 ''. Located in the opening 24a is the lower bearing 28, which serves to allow rotation between the through shaft 16 and the rotating shaft 24. The bearing 28 can be, in this case also, a bearing of Balls, a spherical or other known bearing.

The lower end 16b of the passing shaft 16 it has a threaded tip 30 that extends through the opening 22a in the lower end of the lower housing 22. The tip 30 can be a simple or other circular hole. It can include a bellows 32 to seal the opening between the opening 30 and the housing bottom 22, thus preventing the migration of adhesive material towards the dispenser 10.

A rotary encoder 36 can be mounted on the  top or rear of engine 18 allowing a precise knowledge (and control) of the turning position of the dispensing nozzle 30 for jet applications. The motor it can also have an internal position sensor that could be used in a similar way

Figures 2 and 5 show an embodiment alternative of designated dispenser 110, similar in nature to design of figure 1, except instead of having a hose braided for the thru-axle member 16, the realization of the Figure 2 uses a simple tube made of stainless steel to the thru axle 116 which is connected by the bearing 128 with in relation to the axis of rotation 124. The axis 116 is fixed to the accessory of connection 130 by using an adhesive (or by brazing or other methods).

Figure 3 shows another alternative embodiment 210, similar in nature to the other embodiments described previously.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment 310 which provides the possibility of supplying several component materials from a similar system. A sleeve 336 around mixer 334 that reinforces and supports additional to allow the mixer to run at high pressures Mixer sleeve 336 fits tightly on static mixer 334 and supports static mixer 334 throughout its length, thus allowing high performance pressures The upper outer part of the mixer sleeve 336 It is semi-spherical, as the diagram shows. In the upper part of mixer sleeve 336, in the part inside, the shape adapts to the static mixer 334. The static mixer 334 and sleeve 336 of the mixer van supported by the threaded tube and the top of the threaded tube It has a spherical shape inside and a threaded section in the Exterior. When the threaded tube is screwed into the nozzle corresponding, static mixer and mixer sleeve are pressed against the nozzle, creating a tight seal to the Pressure. Due to the spherical shape of the mixer tube static, they are free to swing while inside threaded tube and still maintain a tight seal against the nozzle.

The static mixer, the mixer sleeve and the threaded tube fit inside the swivel tube, which has a hole displaced at the application end. The tube swivel is supported by the motor and while the tube rotates the static mixer, mixer sleeve and threaded tube are forced by the center offset hole of the swivel tube a move in orbit Unscrewing the threaded tube you can remove the static mixer The static mixer is a disposable element which can be substituted when the material is vulcanized in the tube between production shifts or overnight.

It is considered that several changes can be made and modifications to the dispenser without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

Claims (4)

1. A robot-mounted orbital dispenser (10) for the application of viscous materials and connected to a source thereof, including said dispenser: a housing with a first and second ends (12, 22); a tube (16) with a first and second ends (16a, 16b), the first end (16a) of said tube having an axis and being fixed to said housing, next to the first end (12) of the housing; means for imparting a rotating movement, located in said housing (12, 22), said means including a motor (18) with a rotation axis, and a rotating shaft (24) with a first and second ends and which is mounted within said housing (12, 22) and has a rotation axis, wherein the axis of the first end of said tube, the axis of rotation of said motor and the axis of rotation of the tree are generally coincident, the first end of said tree is connected to said motor (18) and, the second end (24a) of said shaft is rotatably mounted on the second end (22) of said housing and the second end (16b) of said tube is eccentrically mounted and rotatably on the second end (22) of the tree, thus allowing a whirl movement that will be imparted to the second end (16b): and characterized in that said tube (16) is constructed with such length, thickness and material that it allows it to flex during the movement of whirlwind or; and the first end of said tube is firmly fixed to said housing. 2. The orbital dispenser of claim 1,  wherein said tube (16) is adhesively fixed to the first end (12) of said housing. 3. The orbital dispenser of claim 1, where said tube (16) is supported on a bearing in relation to to said rotating means of movement. 4. The orbital dispenser of claim 1,  further comprising means for varying the speed of said engine (18).